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Great to eat alone or add to a stew or chilli.

I went on a self catering holiday recently and instead of taking a load of food with me I popped into a local Sainsbury's store to do my shopping.

Well let me start by saying that the packaging has changed somewhat from that shown, the tomatoes now come in a cardboard carton, much like what you'd get orange or fruit juice in, a bit strange you might think, but that's what they come in. My one small gripe with this particular packaging is that, when you cut along the line indicated, the hole produced is not big enough to allow the tomatoes to run out smoothly, the pulp blocks it up so that you have to shake it to get it to come out. Not a good idea to have tomato juice flying around as it gets everywhere. You then have to cut the top again to widen the hole so that you can get the remaining tomatoes out. So now you know, cut the hole wider than indicated.

The tomatoes themselves are very tasty and there's quite a lot of pulp in them with quite big pieces of tomato, which get stuck in the hole you've just cut, they're not too juicey, the mix is just about right. I used them on their own and thre easily fed four adults for breakfast, along with bacon and all the trimmings and I added them to a chilli and they worked just fine.

All in all these are a great buy, just a shame about the packaging, I would buy them again, if I had a handy Sainsburys to shop in.

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Simple but good

I have been buying Sainsbury's Basic Chopped Tinned Tomatoes now for quite a while, my partner is half Italian so we do a lot of Italian cooking in our house and tend to make Italian gravy quite a lot for different dishes such as lasagne, bolognese, cannelloni etc.. These tinned tomatoes are perfect for this as we leave our gravy slow cooking/reducing throughout the day, we have used more expensive tinned tomatoes in the past and to be honest you cant really tell the difference.

We have also used these tinned tomatoes for dishes which do not require slow cooking/reducing and although they are not as great for this as we tend to find them a little watery unless reduced a little we still tend to buy them as we still find that they are great value for what you get....simple but good.

I would not switch to using more expensive tinned tomatoes as there really is no need and some of the prices are ridiculous! I just think these are perfect for families especially when making up larger batch meals.

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Good value product that is as good as its branded competitors

I first tried Sainsbury's Basics chopped tomatoes after becoming shocked at how expensive branded versions of this product were. I haven't used a more expensive product since! In fact I always have at least 2 packets in my cupboard as they are so versatile.

Formerly available in a tin, these tomatoes are usually available now in a small cardboard type carton, which does make it easier to stack neatly in the cupboard. You open the packet by cutting off the corner flap. Just be careful not to squeeze the carton in your hand as you do so or you will end up with a spillage. This is one downside to this product - the likelihood of getting the tomato all over the worksurface. I tend to open mine over the sink now.

Once I open the packet, a nice tomatoey smell reaches my nose. I like the consistancy of the product because it is neither very thick nor mainly juice. It is thicker than passata, but you can always whizz some in a blender if you want a thinner consistancy. The size of the tomato pieces can vary a little. I have never found any large lumps or stalky bits. I have found tomato skins in some branded tinned tomato so at first I was half expecting to find some in this cheap alternative. I am pleased to say the Basics tomatoes have never let me down in this respect. The pieces are in natural tomato juice which adds to the pure tomato aroma.

The package states that the tomatoes will be of "different shades" but I find any colour differences very slight. The tomatoes come out a lovely appetising red. The taste is full of real tomato flavour. I don't find it at all vinegary or overpowering. I find it flavoursome enough to use as a main ingredient in sauces and pasta dishes. I feel confident that the finished result is no way inferior because I've used a Basics product.

I would absolutely recommend these tomatoes for anyone who likes to cook from scratch but doesn't always have the time to peel/skin/chop lots of ingredients. I'd also recommend it as a base for soups and stews and as a general store cupboard standby. Overall, I think it represents excellent value for money at 35p a packet. [The price does fluctuate sometimes by a few pence. I also pay more for these in a Sainsbury Local shop compared to the larger branch which is very annoying!]

A version of this review appears under the same user name on Ciao.

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Good Value!

Chopped tomatoes in my house are a food staple - I make alot of lasagnes, chilli's, pasta sauces etc from scratch as I find it is alot cheaper to make my own as it makes much more food/lasts much longer, and as a student I can't afford to pay over the odds for the ingredients which can easily mount up. As I get through so many cans of chopped tomatoes I wanted to find a brand that was cheap but still had plenty of flavour. I wasn't too bothered about the consistency as I usually blend them.

First I tried Asda's own brand but I wasn't keen, and then I tried some from Lidl which were nice but still on the expensive side. Then I came across Sainsbury's own brand of chopped tomatoe and i've been loyal to the brand since.

Dooyoo has a picture of a tin in the picture above my review, but it actually comes in cartons. Per 400 gram carton costs just 33p which is almost ridiculously cheap! The packaging is nothing special - white background, orange font with the product name and an orange band around the top with the Sainsburys basics branding. The back of the carton contains the usual - ingrendients, nutritional info, etc. The carton is cardboard so can be recycled. The carton is easy to open but it doesn't seal back up and with 400 grams it's sometimes hanging about for a while if I don't need as much and it goes off (even in the fridge) within 2-3 days, so it sometimes goes to waste.

The tomatoes pour out via the opening and they're pretty average colour wise and the consistency is okay - finely chopped with plenty of juice. They blend well and cook through.

Taste wise, well they're not amazing on there own but when blended up with garlic etc they're pretty nice, there's not much sweetness to them and they're a bit soggy, but not so soggy that they're waterry. They are not at all salty and are nice and easy to chew. They definetly taste of tomato, just not as sweet and fresh as the more premium brands. I sometimes blend a fresh tomatoe in with them as it tastes much sweeter, although on there own they are not unpleasent - just bland.

Per 400 gram carton contains 72 calories and 4 grams of fat, as well as lots of fibre, so they're really healthy.

For 33p for 400 grams I can't complain, I am a regular at Sainsbury's so pick a carton up whenever I am in there because they are so handy, however if you are looking for tomatoes to eat on there own then I would not reccomend these as they are quite bland.

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Chopped tomatoes in juice

Tesco has always been my favourite shop but as we now have a Sainsbury's about 7 miles away we decided to have a change and consequently I have a few Sainsbury's products in my cupboards.

Chopped tinned tomatoes are one of the basics that I like to have, in fact I get teased for using one and buying 2 replacements, not that I always do that! I discovered that Sainsbury's use a carton rather than a tin for their basics chopped tomatoes. It is in their white and red colours typical of other "basics", and the carton is recyclable and Sainsbury's have a "FSC" logo on the carton as they are committed to responsible sourcing of wood from well managed forests.

I thought it looked smaller than a tin and as there are only two of us now thought it would be good, but it contains 400grams, the same as a tin. On the side of the packet are all the nutrition information and if you consume ½ a carton it amounts to only 36cals. There is 2 grams of protein, 6 grams of carbohydrate, 0.4grams fat, 1.8grams fibre and a trace of salt. The ingredients are 60% chopped tomatoes in tomato juice and some citric acid as a regulator. One advantage in having a carton, is if you only use part of it, it can be stored in the carton in the fridge until the next day. The shelf life un-opened was more than a year on my carton.

My husband opened the first carton, he said that he partly followed the instructions on the cartoon and then cut it open. I then spotted two tiny pictures on the top, and some dotted lines but wasn't sure if |I was meant to rip it open or cut! We both ended up cutting it open so we could pour it out easily and remove all the contents.

Smell was OK - tomatoey as expected but the consistency wasn't as chopped as I had expected. It was very fine and possibly a good point was there wasn't a lot of juice. The chopped tomatoes were really processed to a rather mushy state, which if I'm making sauce is fine as I will be blending it smoother. It didn't have as much liquid as I like when making mince for a lasagne, but easy enough to rinse out carton and add some water or stock.

Taste - it was as nice as Tesco's basic line and gave a good result in the meat sauce for lasagne and as a Tomato sauce. To make an easy sauce for pasta, fry a finely chopped shallot or couple of cloves of garlic in a little oil, add the tomatoes, some salt, pepper a little sugar and pinch of chilli, add some shredded basil or a few dried herbs, cook until a nice consistency about 15 minutes. Easy to make whilst the pasta cooks and much better and cheaper than out of a jar!

Priced at 33pence, I think this is a good value product.

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A carton of tomatoes that taste like tomatoes

Sainsbury's Chopped Tomatoes are a must have for anyone on a budget that enjoys a bit of cooking.I'm a university student presently but breaking the stereotype I cook all of my meals from scratch as a cheap way of feeding myself and partner.The Chopped Tomatoes which now come in a carton - genius!! - rather than a tin, are a good basis for many pasta, rice and curry/spiced dishes which can be concocted especially if combined with a decent set of spices (including Sainsbury's Value Herb Mix). The Tomatoes themselves are not completely liquefied which I think if a plus point as this gives a little more texture to your Bolognese or Chilli Con Carne, and taste... well of Chopped Tomatoes I guess...Of course if budget is not a priority then maybe getting a slightly more expensive tin or a Passata may be more to your taste but to anyone that just likes throwing together a few ingredients, and gets as a results something they'll enjoy there is nothing wrong with this orange and white tin of loveliness.

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Great for basic range, shame about the new look

As a basic or economy range go, these particular chopped tomatoes were a favourite. They tended to lack the bitterness of their counterparts from Tescos or Dunnes, and were a lot less watery than some other budget brands. In all fairness I would be hard pushed to tell the difference between these and a main brand, especially once used in something like a chili or pasta sauce, though it never does any harm to add a little dried herbs or salt to flavour.

One thing that has really annoyed me recently though is the sudden change to the cartons. I find them a lot more difficult to use sparingly, it's awkward to pour out only half unless you cut across the top and spoon it out, which defeats the object if you are refrigerating them. What's even worse is the fact that at the moment my local council doesn't recycle them, a problem I never had with the tins.

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A great alternative to premium brands at a great price

Sainsbury's Basics chopped tomatoes are a great budget alternative to premium chopped tomatoes which seem to be getting more and more expensive by the month. At 33p for a 400g carton they really compare favourably to Sainsbury's premium alternative which cost more than double at 69p.

The tomatoes come in a carton nowadays as opposed to the tin in the picture. The carton is recyclable and is easy to open using a good pair of scissors.

I used to buy the more expensive option, but as a cooking ingredient in home-made recipes these budget alternatives are perfect. I use them all the time now in my chillis, pasta sauces, casseroles, shepherds pies, etc. and they do the job perfectly. There is no discernable difference in taste in my recipes when I switched from premium to Basics tomatoes.

Inside the carton the tomatoes are not quite so concentrated as the premium carton and the juice is slightly more watery. The tomatoes themselves do vary slightly in colour, as it says on the carton. They are well chopped so you just pour them straight into your cooking pot.

When heated and eaten in isolation they don't taste quite as good as the premium alternative. They don't quite have that sweetness and concentration you get from the premium option, but to be honest the difference is not great.

The ingredients state that they are 60% tomatoes in tomato juice with some citric acid.

The packaging is not quite as stylish and the tomatoes may not be as concentrated, but unless your tomato flavour is critical then the Basics tomatoes will do just fine.

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Great quality and cheap, cheap, cheap!

I have to admit I am a huge fan of Sainsbury Basic Chopped Tomatoes. The fact that they now come in a carton rather than a tin is even more of a bonus as it means you can put them in the fridge for a couple of days once opened.

The tomatoes are chopped into small pieces and come packaged in tomato juice.One factor that can be a bit of a 'make or break' thing with tinned tomatoes is the amount of skins that you are left with. In the past I have shied away from Sainsbury Basic Chopped Tomatoes because I was worried that there would be more stalks and skins than in the branded varieties. This is definitely not the case and I was very happy with the quality of the product.

I could eat pasta and tomatoes quite happily every day of my life, so it won't be a great surprise to hear that I get through quite a few packets of Sainsbury Basic Chopped Tomatoes each week. A really tasty but simple meal is to simmer some pork mince, onion and mushroom in some vegetable stock. Reduce by half and then add Sainsbury Basic Chopped Tomatoes. Serve with the pasta of your choice.

As I said before, Sainsbury Basic Chopped Tomatoes now come in a carton rather than a tin. The carton is similar to a long life milk carton and is easy enough to get into, with the aid of a pair of scissors. The packaging is in the usual Sainsbury's Basic's style, minimalist but functional. As with all their stuff the nutritional information is clearly presented and easy to find.

A 400g pack costs around 35p which I think is excellent value. These are a real staple of mine as they are delicious and quite versatile. I would recommend these to everyone.

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A good quality and good value product.

Recently Sainsbury's have altered the packaging for this product. Sometimes the chopped tomatoes come in a small cardboard packet instead of a tin, but last week they had reverted back to all tins. I have used both and find the tins easier to get all of the juice out of. In the packets it sticks in the corners and is harder to get it all out and you can end up wasting some. That is may be why they have switched back. These tomatoes are an essential cooking ingredient to keep in your pantry, making casseroles and soups cheap and easy to make. The juice is a little runny, but that is fine in cooking. It costs thirty three pence for a four hundred gram unit. When you compare the cost of branded chopped tomatoes such as Napolina at ninety nine pence a unit you will realise that you can buy three tins of basics to one tin of Napolina. In the current climate it makes sense to go cheaper. I have cooked using the Napolina as an experiment to see if the food was superior, but I have to say that I could not notice any difference in the cooked product. Some people say that tinned tomatoes can have a bitter taste but this is not the case here. Overall I think that this is a quality product at a very competitive price. Well done Sainsbury's.

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Although these are basic I think they are a great buy and ideal to add to your recipe.

I was going to say that I use a lot of tinned tomatoes but Sainsbury's have now changed the packaging of their basic chopped tomatoes and use a CARDBOARD instead of the former tin. So, it is now true to say, that I will be using a lot of cartons of tomatoes.

I will start by saying that I'm not pleased with this change. They may be lighter, it may be more environmentally friendly maybe? I don't know but I do know that I prefer the tins. I find these cartons difficult to open and messy. Also, there is more waste with these as, with a tin it's so easy to swish a little water around it and so this can be used in your recipe and no tomato juice is wasted. You can do this with the pack but it is a little messier.

These tomatoes sell at thirty-three pence for a 400 gram carton. I think that's a good price but I've noticed that tinned tomatoes (and cartons!) have risen considerably in price in the last couple of years. They still remain an affordable, healthy and versatile food.

I mainly buy these to use in recipes. I usually cook a meat bolognese and a Quorn bolognese sauce, once a week. Every so often I cook a chilli con carne (two versions) and sometimes a shepherd's pie. I also make a tomato and herb pasta sauce fairly regularly. I put tomatoes into all of these recipes and more.

If making a quick meal I put on some pasta to cook whilst I chop and then gently fry some onions in a little oil. I add a little salt, pepper and herbs (usually mixed herbs or thyme and basil.) After a few minutes, when the onion has softened, I add a pack or two of chopped tomatoes, depending on how many this is to serve. When almost at boiling point, turn down the heat, simmer gently until sauce thickens (about ten minutes) or until the pasta is cooked. Drain the pasta and then pour sauce over it, stir in gently and then serve. You could sprinkle a little basil over the top as well as or instead of, Parmesan cheese. My daughter likes to grate cheddar cheese onto hers.

My husband prefers this meal when a little bacon is cut into chunks and fried for a couple of minutes, and added to his sauce. Mushrooms are also an optional extra, as are courgettes.. This is so simple and, most of you will have your own similar way of making a tomato based pasta sauce but, but I thought it might be useful for hard up students who are perhaps just learning to cook and are also having to count the pennies. It's so cheap, easy and very tasty.

Not to my taste but some like these tomatoes spread on toast and popped under the grill for a minute or two. What could be simpler?

Sainsbury's basics are found in their supermarket in the tinned section, next to the basics (still tinned) whole basics tomatoes. They are easy to spot, being packaged in white with the orange strip at the top with yellow vertical stripes.

The carton contains red tomatoes of different shades produced in Italy.

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A good basic everyday canned tomato, but not pretty

This is a great all-rounder and good whether you're on a budget or not. I used to use this in my student days and can tell you that its particularly good for cooking up a slow-cooked tomato sauce. If you're thinking about using this product for something a little less 'cooked in' though, I recommend you go for whole tomatoes or try a different range, the reason for this being that Sainsbury's basics chopped tomatoes can really be more accurately described as 'chopped tomato ends'- with all the romance that brings to mind. It is possible if you have the time and willpower to go through cutting away the worst of the tougher ends, but it's not really worth it if you have to go this far. For stews, soups and sauces cooked over time, this is a good basic to have to hand, but if you're imagining fat peeled plum tomatoes, this ain't it!

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They only cost 35pence, and are great as a side to any main meal.

SAINSBURY'S BASICS PEELED TOMATOES.

I have been trying to save a few pounds, and being single and looking out for price savings, I have been trying and sampling the Sainsbury's Basics range, which I am pleased to say so far have save quite a few pounds, and their basics range are really not too bad at all.

I found these merely by chance, on the isle where all the tins of beans etc are kept. I think that they really are great value for money.

These tomatoes come in a basic type of can, you need to open them yourself, as they unlike the more expensive ranges do not have a pull ring lid openning, but I really dont mind that because they only cost me 35pence, which is great for a full can of 400grams, and once openned they are full to the brim with whole peeled tomatoes, that were all good quality, and tasted great.

The can is recyclable, and although it has just a basic label, with an orange stripe which I have noticed comes with almost all of Sainsbury's Basics range.

This can contains loads of tomatoes and I really was very suprised to notice just how good quality the tomatoes where for less than fifty pence.

I usually use these tomatoes to add as an addition to most of the meals that I cook myself and also they are great at the weekend. especially for those lovely fry-ups that I think is an important part of any weekend morning breakfast.

The can as I am reading contains tomatoes, in tomatoe juice.

Half a can of these lovely tomatoes provides 42 calories, the fat is only a trace,, the total sugars are 7.6grams, and little salt, approximately 0.2grams and their is a trace of saturated fat.

I am told on the side of this can that these tomatoes are suitable for vegetarians, so that is good if you are.

The can contains sixty percent of tomatoes, the rest is made up of tomatoe juice and acidity regulator, and citric acid, so all in all you are getting quite a lot of tomatoe for you money.

I am really enjoying trying out the Sainsbury's basics range.

As well as having these tomatoes with the fry-ups that I have mentioned already I like to add these to my favourite pasta dishes, and to to my spagetti bologonaise dish, these work well. I really didnt know that these basic range products would be so great, they really are great value for money and I am happy that a friend of mine introduced me to this way of saving money, to enable me to have more money to save for a suprise I am planning for my mother who I am saving for for a suprise holiday, after she has had a very bad divorce, I want to give her a suprise, and with buying Sainsbury's cheaper range of products, I am certainly helping to cut my costs down and be able to save more.

You will be able to reconise these products easily by the basics label.

I am new to writing these reviews so would appreciate any help or comments that you so kindly have to make. Thanks.

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ANother great Sainsburys basic's product.

I'm sure some of you have noticed I've reviewed a lot of the Sainsbury's basics products. So here my view on their tinned chopped tomatoes.The packaging is like any other Sainsbury's basic products, plain simple and to the point. With the Sainsbury's name on the top and orange righting with the name of the product on it. The tin is recyclable but remember to take the label off.Each tin contains 400gs of chopped tomatoes, 78 calories and contains no salt at all. The tomatoes them self to me taste just as good as the leading brands of peeled and chopped tomatoes. These will be a regular purchase from my local store. They are great to add to a lasagne, warm up and have with you fry-up and even nice to as into your macaroni cheese. Being priced at only 35 pence for the tin of chopped tomatoes certainly makes them worth every penny. Just remember once the tin has been opened to store it in the fridge and consume within 24 hours.

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Comes in tin or carton, take your pick

I usually purchase a different brand of these but thought I`d check out these cheaper ones as I`ve been impressed with Sainsburys Basics lately.

I must be honest I am impressed, they taste no different to any other brand, they still have that strong tomatoey smell and is not all juice as I was led to believe.

Sainsburys do these in both a tin and a cardboard carton at around 35p for 400g. Which is great value.

On opening the tin which you need a tin opener for as it isnt a ring pull, you immediately notice that its full to the top. Inside is lots of tomatoes, chopped. And enough juice for those all important dishes. On pouring out its a good consistancy and is ideal to add to minced beef for a bolognaise or a chilli. I`ve also topped a pizza base with it and drank the tomato juice separate. I`ve also used it in numerous pasta dishes as the tomato base.

I have also pureed these tinned tomatoes and added a little cornflour to make a rich tomato soup when people have turned up unexpectedly and I`ve wanted a starter.

So all in all, I`ve found it very versatile and you`ll always find a tin or carton in my cupboard as I find it to be of one todays stables.